Page 261 - King Lear: The Cambridge Dover Wilson Shakespeare

186 NOTES 2.3.

2-3
S.D. Loc. (Dyce) Schmidt's 'The same' was meant
to accord with the orig. production at wh. the stocked
Kent prob. remained visible quietly slumbering in the
background while Edg. came on and said his lines at
the front of the stage, there being, as Greg shows, prob.
no inner stage then available. But a fresh loc. is better in
a text for mod. readers, who might otherwise be conscious
of the absurdity of the fugitive Edg. appearing at his
father's front door to discuss what disguise he shall
adopt. See Greg, R.E.S. (1940), pp. 301-2.
2. happy see G.
4-5. That...takingThat is not guarded most strictly
in hope of capturing me.
10. Blanket Cf. 3.4.64. elf Cf. G. and Rom. 1.4.
90 'elf-locks'.
14. Bedlam Beggars or 'Abram men', vagabonds
who 'feign themselves to have been mad and have been
kept either in Bethlehem (=Bedlam) or in some other
prison a.good time....These beg money. Either when
they come at farmers' houses, they will demand bacon...
or anything that is worth money. And if they espy small
company within, they will with fierce countenence
demand somewhat' (Harman, Caveat for Common
Cursetors (1567); see J.D.W., life in Sh.'s £ng.,
Penguin, p. 303). Mai. cites Dekker, The Bellman
of London: 'You see pins stuck in sundry places of his
flesh, especially in his arms, which pain he gladly
puts himself to only to make you believe he is out of
his wits. He calls himself Poor Tom, and coming near
any body cries out Poor Tom is a-cold.' Cf. Rom. 2. 1.

15. numbed Because exposed to the cold, mortified
see G. bare (Q) F om. 17. object see G.
18. sheep-cotes (Q subs.) F 'Sheeps-Coates'.